December 13, 2013

Obituaries

Please submit in writing to our office by 10 a.m. Thursday before the week of publication; be sure to state date of death. Obituaries of archdiocesan priests serving our archdiocese are listed elsewhere in The Criterion. Order priests and religious sisters and brothers are included here, unless they are natives of the archdiocese or have other connections to it; those are separate obituaries on this page.

Providence Sister Eleanor Pierce, formerly Sister Reparata Marie, died on Nov. 23 at Mother Theodore Hall at St. Mary-of-the-Woods. She was 90.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Dec. 3 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at the motherhouse. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.

Eleanor Pierce was born on Aug. 29, 1923, in Chelsea, Mass.

She entered the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods on July 20, 1942, and professed final vows on Aug. 15, 1950.

Sister Eleanor earned a bachelor’s degree in education at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, and a master’s degree in education administration at the Rivier College in Nashua, N.H..

During 71 years as a member of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Sister Eleanor ministered in Catholic education for 49 years in schools in Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oklahoma and Washington, D.C.

In the archdiocese, she ministered at the former St. Mary School in Richmond from 1947-50 and at St. Patrick School in Terre Haute from 1961-63.

Sister Eleanor retired from education in 1994. She then ministered for 15 years at St. Rose of Lima Parish in Chelsea, Mass., the parish in which she grew up. She returned to the motherhouse in 2009, where she dedicated herself entirely to prayer.

She is survived by a sister, Patricia Pierce of Chelsea, Mass..

Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of Providence, 1 Sisters of Providence Road, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876.

Providence Sister Mary Margaret Quinn, formerly Sister Charles Agnes, died on Nov. 29 at Mother Theodore Hall at St. Mary-of-the-Woods. She was 78.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Dec. 7 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at the motherhouse. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.

Mary Margaret Quinn was born on May 27, 1935, in Indianapolis and grew up as a member of Holy Cross Parish in Indianapolis.

She entered the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods on Jan. 6, 1953, and professed final vows on Aug. 15, 1960.

Sister Mary Margaret earned a bachelor’s degree in music at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, and a master’s degree in music at Butler University in Indianapolis.

During 60 years as a member of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Sister Mary Margaret ministered in Catholic education for 17 years in schools in Illinois, Indiana and Texas.

In the archdiocese, she ministered at the former St. Joseph School in Indianapolis and at St. Malachy School in Brownsburg from 1967-69, at the former St. Andrew School in Indianapolis from 1969-71 and at Holy Angels School and St. Thomas Aquinas School from 1971-72.

Beginning in 1972, Sister Mary Margaret ministered as a pastoral associate at Holy Angels Parish in Indianapolis—a ministry she continued until 2006. In 2007, she returned to the motherhouse where she volunteered at Woods Day Care/Preschool. In 2012, she dedicated herself entirely to prayer.

She is survived by a brother, Michael J. Quinn of Fishers, Ind.

Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of Providence, 1 Sisters of Providence Road, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876. †